Applications for guided bone regeneration in endodontic surgery.

Regeneration of apical bony defects remains a significant problem in endodontic surgery. When a resorbable membrane is placed over a defect, it acts as a barrier between the defect and the overlying gingival tissue. This barrier membrane provides sufficient time for bone to regenerate while preventing the faster growing connective tissue from invaginating into the area. When new tissue replicates the structure and function of the lost tissue, then apical regeneration has occurred.